Monday, March 19, 2012

Spring is HERE!!!

(Google Image)

By
Diane Forrest

After consulting the famed Puxatawny Phil, springing
forward, doing some spring cleaning, getting a little spring fever, and even
taking a spring break, the day has finally arrived. Today is officially the first day of spring.

(Google Image)

I am sure you have noticed budding flowers, growing
grass, leaves appearing on the trees, and if your town is anything like mine,
everything is covered with a yellow dusting of pollen. There is new life all around. Birds are chirping. .bees are buzzing, the
sun stays out longer, and the temperature is just right.

(Google Image)

While Spring is my favorite time of year, there are a few
drawbacks. This is also the time for
thunderstorms, flash floods and tornados, at least in my area.

In technical terms, today is the beginning of the vernal
equinox. On the vernal equinox, day and
night are nearly identical in length -- 12 hours each -- at the equatorial
plane.

An equinox occurs twice a year, in March and September,
when the center of the Sun crosses directly over the Earth's equator, as the
Earth is tilted neither away nor toward the Sun. Many cultures around the world
celebrate the equinoxes as special occasions.

(Google Image)

Spring is a very important time in my town. We have a Spring Pilgrimage. This is the time when people travel here from
all over the world to tour our antebellum homes. Ladies dress up in hoop skirts, horse drawn
buggies are available to take visitors on tours, the town's people spend weeks
sprucing up everything, putting fresh paint where it is needed, and planting
beautiful gardens. At night the
residents put on a pageant for the visitors that depict life on the
Mississippi. For more information
about the Natchez Spring Pilgrimage, click here: http://www.natchezpilgrimage.com/

(Google Image)

So today, the first day of spring, go outside...shake off
the winter blues if you are able, and enjoy the new fresh day.